What The Future Brings
by blackfeather1127
Summary: It had been years since Caroline Blusteeyl first joined the Teen Titans as her zealous alter ego, Obsidian. Now, five years have passed since the Teen Titans split up. Caroline is an adult, flying solo in downtown Gotham, but she misses her friends greatly. When her past comes back to haunt her, Caroline will learn the surprising strength of the heart in some unexpected ways.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey guys! Welcome to my first little expedition into the world of superhero fiction. This story is a kind of a stand alone epilogue. Hopefully I've explained everything enough so you can jump right in! I've tried to keep everyone in character as much as possible, so , please, no flames. Enjoy, rate, and review if you'd like! :) Any feedback is much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own DC Comics or any of its characters. I only own Caroline Blusteeyl and my other OC's.

Prologue:

It'd been five years. On this very day, 5 years ago, she had joined a group of crime fighting super powered teenagers. 16 year old Caroline Blusteeyl didn't realize then what she was getting into, working with an alien, cyborg, animal boy, witch, and an orphan. Going around with the others, under the pseudonym of Obsidian, they weren't your normal crime fighting group. They were _the _crime fighting group. Even when bomb threats, robberies, jewel heists, and psychotic super villains threatened the streets, the Teen Titans were there.

But, eventually, things took their toll on the members. Two years after Obsidian had become an honorary Titan, she noticed some fissures forming in the seemingly unbreakable structure of the Teen Titans. Distances seemed to grow between the team. Raven, one of Obsidian's closest friends, spent nearly the entire day in her room. She almost never spoke to any Titan; only when necessary did she say a word. Starfire was often making plans to go somewhere. No one knew where, precisely, but assumed it was plans for her to go back to Tamaran. Beast Boy was often out in the city, looking for something, or someone. Cyborg spent almost all of his time in the garage, working on cars, bikes, anything with an engine. And, lastly, there was Robin. Out of all the Titans, Robin was the one Obsidian felt the closest too. Maybe it was because they were both orphans and had grown up in a very dark world. Or maybe it was just because he was her Robin.

But, for some reason, Obsidian couldn't leave him. One day, in August of her second year with the Titans, Obsidian confronted him. She needed to know what was going on. She couldn't stand being misinformed. And, like it or not, she'd fallen in love with him. She was in too deep now to just let things go. Robin explained to her that, after all those years together, he'd had enough. He'd left Batman for good and, soon, he'd be leaving the Titans too. Where he'd go after that, he said he didn't know.

Obsidian couldn't bear it. The team had been together for far too long for it to just break apart like nothing had happened. Breaking up seemed impossible for the Teen Titans. But break it did. A few weeks after Obsidian confronted Robin on that early August day, he just left. He walked out the door to Titans Tower in street clothes without as much as a word to anyone. Obsidian was in disbelief; she thought, no, she _knew_ he would come back. She just knew it.

Days trickled slowly by, yet Robin's room in the Tower was still empty. Obsidian stayed close to the Tower. She barely ever left it, except to visit places she'd gone with Robin; the movies, the boardwalk, the park, the pizza parlor. She just couldn't get him off her mind. She had to find a way to get a hold of him; to hear his voice, to know he was alright. There weren't a ton of people she could call who might know where he would be. But, Obsi knew only one person he would trust, even after his connection with Batman was broken. She scrolled to a number in her phone she hadn't dialed in what felt like a very long time. A distinctive British voice answered.

"Wayne Manor, Alfred speaking."

Obsidian didn't even know where the words came from. She told Alfred everything; the apparent erosion of the team, Robin's leaving, and her own feelings. Alfred gave her as much advice as he could give, and Obsi considered him very wise. She even talked to Bruce, who she hadn't seen in several years. She'd talked to him once or twice a year, around holidays and his birthday. He seemed different now that Robin had gone. He had known they wouldn't be a team forever. But he also never thought Robin would just leave him without saying anything.

To Obsidian's seething frustration, neither Alfred or Bruce knew exactly where Robin had gone, but Bruce gave her a few words of advice. "Caroline, I know you must be upset. But I know Richard. _You_ know Richard. Wherever he is right now, he's where he should be. When he's healed, he'll come back. It could be an hour, a day, a month, even years. But I do know one thing for certain. He really cares for you, Caroline. He _will_ come back, someday, when he's ready."

It'd been five years and Caroline had never forgotten those words Bruce had told her when she was a distressed, broken-hearted teen. Now she was 21; a young woman. He skinny frame had filled out; she was tall, about 5'9, with waved, dark honey colored hair and warm brown eyes. Her style had changed. Now, she wore a V-neck black leather spandex dress, with tall, high heeled matching leather boots, as well as her now signature black mask and a gold R pendant around her neck that she wore for the boy she'd never forget.

Her powers were still there; she could still fly, shoot her feathers from her fingertips, blast baddies with her ice beam vision. She even still had her beloved Maestro. But, flying, which had once been such a joy to her, had lost much appeal. Now, she often sped through Gotham's streets in a zippy pitch black motorcycle. It was just like Robin's R-cycle. Every time she put the key in the ignition, she would remember him. She knew she had to get over him; it'd been way too long. She couldn't keep moping for someone she knew she would most likely never see again. But, for some reason, Caroline never lost hope that, one day, Richie would come back to her.

Chapter 1:

It was definitely the weekend. Caroline knew it must be; the sun was too bright, the weather too nice, and her bed was far too comfortable for it to be any day other than Saturday. This wasn't just any Saturday, though. Today was the day before the ball at Wayne Manor. Caroline dreaded going; she was nervous to go alone and was worried that memories she had fought so long to control would come flooding back the moment she stepped inside the beautiful mansion. As one of the most respected and, she hoped, loved members of Wayne Enterprises, she was expected to be in attendance, as one of the most important guests.

Realizing she had to get up before she slept the day away, Caroline was up and stretching, throwing a robe over her shoulders and heading into her kitchenette and living room. She sat at her small kitchen table with coffee, flipping over the crisp white invitation to the ball, when a small photo caught her eye; the last picture they had taken together before he left. Arms around each other, Caroline had been laughing at something, her love gazing at her in a look she could only describe as adoring. She could still hear him saying her name, laughing at her jokes. She could still feel his hand in hers, his arms around her, the way her heart raced when she buried her face in his shoulder, the way her breath caught in her throat and electricity pulsed through her veins that last night, when they'd almost kissed.

Sighing, she rose from her seat at the table and put her teacup in the sink. She wandered into the bathroom and took a long shower, letting the hot water relax her muscles as she tried to pull her mind from those gripping memories. Once she was out, she dried her hair and put on a dark green tank with cut off black jean shorts and her black converse high tops, brushing her shiny hair down around her shoulders, letting it dry in honey colored waves. Picking up her black handbag, she headed out outside her apartment complex and hopped on her everyday motorcycle; a cardinal red one. To lift her spirits, she sped to the nearest shopping center.

Caroline happily spent the nearly the whole day at the mall, finding a beautiful silken evening gown. She actually almost forgot about those painful memories for those relaxing, fun hours. She drove home late that afternoon, fixing and eating a quick dinner, then watching an old movie. By the time the movie was over, the sun had long been set, and Gotham had transformed from its sunbathed daytime familiarity to its dark, enchanting alter-ego. The beautiful, clear night dug its nails into Caroline and without forethought she slipped from her apartment and into the glittering streets.

After walking for a while, a pair of shady looking men began to follow her. Caroline rolled her eyes; the same drunken idiots looking to get lucky. Ducking into a convenient dark alley, she slipped on her mask and threw off her clothes, revealing her black dress beneath. She chuckled to herself, the shady men calling obscenities and catcalling as they approached her in the alley. She smirked and sauntered up to them, before slugging one in the face and knocking the legs out from the other. Their pathetic attempts to grab her made her snicker with laughter, as she caught their punches with both hands, throwing them to the ground. She heard a thump behind her and thought nothing of it. She spun around as the two guys got back up and she flipped over their shoulders and slammed their heads together, the two of them falling to the floor in a crumpled, unconscious heap.

Wiping off her hands confidently, she started to leave the alley, when another thump made her whirl around. It was way too close for her comfort. "Show yourself!" She shouted, watching something moving in the shadows. Her eyes twinkled with blue ice crystals. This was not the night to test her. She ran towards a fire escape alongside one of the buildings, standing in front of it, in case she had to make a quick getaway. The moon came out from hiding behind black clouds, casting a beam of moonlight down onto the alley. Caroline spotted a figure near the back of the alley; she assumed it was human. "Who are you?! What do you want?" She yelled towards it, sharpened black feathers appearing from her fingertips.

"Caroline." It said in a sultry, masculine voice that was almost affectionate in its familiarity.

"How do you…?" She started to ask, when suddenly the man in the shadows approached.

Caroline quickly backed up against the fire escape, her eyes fading back to their original cocoa color. Her breath caught in her throat when the man stepped into the moonlight. He was heart-breakingly handsome, her eyes taking in his black spandex jumpsuit with the sky blue eagle across the shoulders, the black mask, and the pitch colored hair bordering a sculpted face that looked oddly familiar. He came closer and Caroline could feel her heart beginning to pound.

"What do you…?"

"You really don't remember me, Obsi?" Now _that_ caught her attention, big time. Only 5 people had ever called her that. There was only one person this stranger could be.

"No way…there's no way…how…" She blinked rapidly, not wanting to believe it. "R-Robin?" Her mouth gaped, mind searching for some way to recognize him, acknowledge that this wasn't some cruel practical joke. "Richie?" She whispered, her fingers gripping her gold R pendant almost desperately hopeful.

He flashed a dazzlingly white smile and took a small step forward. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"…you…you just…left. For five years. Five whole years. What…what happened to you?" Caroline paused and her eyes shifted to the toes of her boots. "No reason...no explanation. You never even said goodbye…" Caroline stopped herself from saying more; she could feel her throat begin to tighten with emotion and the tears threaten.

"I had to get away from it all. Don't you understand? I couldn't stay with the Titans anymore. I had to make my own path. I had to stop living in someone else's shadow."

Caroline could feel hot tears welling up in her eyes, as much as she fought to keep them under control. She hung her head in defeat, raising a hand to her face, feeling them spill through her fingers. Her knees gave out; she fell to them in the middle of the alley. He took her other hand in his gloved one and Caroline sobbed a little harder. Eventually, she flung her arms around him. She never wanted to let go. She never wanted him to stop holding her.

"I'm so sorry Caroline. I never thought how much my leaving would hurt you. Please, for me, don't cry. I just… can't take it." These words began to slowly thaw her turmoil filled heart. She sniffled and reluctantly let go. She didn't know what to say. She could only look at him. He ran the back of his hand across the side of her face, making her shiver. He was still her Richie, the same one she'd known for what felt like so long, but he was different now; darker, more mysterious, and much more like Batman than the Robin she'd known. She was still very much in love with him, but the past five years had changed him. Somewhere along the way, her Richie had grown up.

"You know you're beautiful, Caroline." He said sweetly, gently toying with a honey colored curl that had fallen astray. "Even when you cry, you manage to look like an angel."

"Richie…" She looked him straight in the eyes and took his hand. This, she knew, was the only way she could tell if he was who he said. She slowly leaned towards him. He smiled slightly and put a finger to her lips.

"As much as I would love to..." He said quietly. "Just not tonight. Soon, I promise." He paused and Caroline leaned back, a little hurt. "I wanted to ask you…if you were going with anyone to the ball at Wayne Manor tomorrow." Caroline looked at him in surprise. Whatever she was expecting him to ask…this wasn't it.

"It's not like he was going to ask you to marry him, stupid!" She mentally admonished herself, smiling slightly at the thought, before realizing she probably looked even more foolish not answering him.

"I…no. I don't."

"Maybe you'd like to go with me then?" He asked with a wink that made Caroline blush like a schoolgirl.

"That would be…just wonderful."

"Great." He grinned and stood up, helping her to stand too. "How's 8 o clock sound?"

"Perfect." Caroline said, smiling hopelessly, all previous irritation forgotten.

"Then I guess I'll see you at 8." He said, stroking her jawline gently before slipping back into the shadows.

"Oh…Wait!" She called. He turned over one shoulder with a smile. "…You aren't Robin anymore…right? What…should I call you?"

He smiled darkly, as if he'd known she would ask this. "Nightwing." He stayed there a heartbeat more and before she could move, he vanished into the shadows. Caroline stared after him, her heart still racing like it had years before.

AN: Well, what'd you think? :) Hopefully you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This story is so fun to work with. The next chapter should be up very soon! Ciao for now!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Chapter 2, already?! Yup. :) Enjoy, rate, and review if you'd like!

Disclaimer: See 1st Chapter Disclaimer

By 6:30 the next evening, Caroline was already getting dressed in her one strapped, royal blue silk evening gown. By 7:45, she was dressed and ready and she sat on the couch, not allowing herself to move until the clock struck 8. She felt like a teenager again, nervously awaiting her first date.

At that exact moment, there was a sharp rapping on the door. Caroline jumped in surprise, nervously fumbling to pick up her silk pocketbook. Taking a deep breath, tossing her honey blonde curls back over her shoulders and fixing her earrings and gold R pendant, she opened the door.

"Wow…" She looked up into a startled pair of blue eyes that were so warm and familiar, she actually felt a little light-headed. He was much taller than her now; maybe a little over 6'2 and handsome as the devil in his tuxedo. "You look…wow. Positively…radiant."

"…Thank you!" She smiled, enjoying his embarrassment.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded, taking his hand. "Born ready."

They headed out to the front of the building and she grinned at him when she spotted a long black limousine parked by the curb. "Might as well arrive in style, right?"

She giggled. "Might as well."

The two slid into the back seat. "Wayne Manor, please. And step on it." They arrived about 10 minutes past 8 o clock, as the guests were just starting to arrive. A crowd of paparazzi had gathered at the steps, and when the driver opened the door to the limo, what looked like a thousand flashbulbs went off.

"Miss Blusteeyl! Miss Blusteeyl!" They cried, and scrambled about, snapping pictures.

"Evening, everyone." She said, smiling up at Richie when he held his arm out for her. She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and they headed up the stairs together. She could hear the muttered questions being tossed about as they entered over who the mystery man she was with was. Alfred was at the door doing coat check. "Mistress Blusteeyl." He smiled.

"Alfred." She said warmly, hugging him. "How is everything? I've missed you both."

"Everything is just fine, Mistress. Master Wayne is much looking forward to the gala tonight." At this, Alfred glanced at the stranger at her side. "I do apologize. I seem to have forgotten my manners. Alfred Pennyworth, at your service."

Richie smiled. "Grayson. Dick Grayson." Alfred smiled, but then a look of confusion crossed his face.

"Grayson? My, I haven't heard that name since…" Alfred paused and looked back at him. "It couldn't be..."

"Alfred." He smiled.

"Master Grayson! It is a delight to see you again...!" "Oh, loosen up, Al!" He laughed, hugging him. "I've missed you."

"And I you, sir. Very, very much."

"Where's Bruce at tonight?"

"Master Wayne will be here shortly, I presume. I am sure he will be overjoyed to see you"

"I hope so, Al, I hope so."

"Please, enjoy the gala. I hope I will see you both soon."

"You can count on it, 'Al'." Caroline said, taking Richie's arm again, smiling at Al as they headed into the grand ballroom; a large, marble floored room with a dome made of white decorated with shimmering gold. Caroline glanced around it; waving to a few friends of the company and a few personal friends as well.

A tall, tan lady in a bright green dress with a wild mess of cherry red hair and orange skin caught Caroline's attention. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald green and almost seemed luminescent.

"There's no way…"

"What is it?"

"Starfire!" She cried. The pretty young Tamaranian spun around to face her. Although the Team had broken up, Caroline had still kept in touch via phone calls, texts, and emails. It'd been years since they'd seen each other in person, especially Starfire. At first, she didn't seem to recognize Caroline or the handsome, dark haired young man standing next to her. But when Caroline waved to her and smiled, she spied recognition in her eyes. She smiled her pretty white smile as Caroline hurried over to her.

"Caroline!" She sighed, wrapping her arms around her and hugging her tight.

"Star! It's great to see you."

She held me back at arms width to just look. "I don't believe it." She said. "You've gotten even prettier."

"Star, where do I start with you? You always have outshone me. Now it's just plain unfair." Caroline said, stroking her friend's long, fluffy hair. Star laughed a twinkle of a laugh. "Who's your friend?" She asked, glancing back and forth between Richie and Caroline.

"Starfire." He said with a smile.

"I'm sorry, have we met?"

He shook his head. "I thought you might say that."

He reached into his pocket, taking out two things that made both young women gasp; a startlingly familiar yellow communicator and a black mask that was instantly recognizable. Making sure no one was looking, he quickly put it on and grinned at her. She burst into a big smile.

"No way. No WAY! Dick, you're… you're…alive!"

He pulled off the mask, still smiling. "So I am."

"It's so great to see you both. I can't believe this!"

"Do you know if the others are here?" Caroline asked, glancing around.

"Actually…" She smiled over her shoulder, "Victor, dearest! Come say hello!" A tall, muscled man with dark brown skin looked over from a table. Richie and Caroline grinned at each other.

"There's no way." He said, "That can't be…"

Star kissed the man's cheek as he came over next to her. "Darling, you'll never guess who these two are." The man, who was 100% human, no cyborg in site, looked confused for a moment.

"Hey Cy." Richie grinned at him.

"Is that…no way?! Dick?! Hey!" He wrapped him in a big bear hug. "How are ya, man? It's been ages!"

"Tell me about it! It's so great to see you. And look at you! No robot in sight!"

"That doc's really worked wonders." Cy looked over at Caroline. "Who's this?" Caroline beamed and opened her clutch, holding out her classic silver pendant shaped like a raven. A wide grin spread slowly across his face. "I knew you looked familiar!" He said, hugging her tightly.

"It's so good to see you, Cy."

"You can call me Victor now, if you'd like." He said with a smile.

"Ok, then, Victor." Caroline said with a grin. "I can't believe it's really you!"

"Isn't it marvelous how we've all managed to find each other? It must be fate." Star said. Turning over her shoulder, she waved to another couple that had just arrived. "Excuse us a moment, dear friends! We'll talk more soon!" Star said, dragging Victor off to talk to the couple that had arrived.

"I can't believe how lucky I am. It's almost like I never left." Richie said quietly, glancing around the ballroom, which had begun to fill with people, including a group of musicians, who took their place on the raised stage at the ballrooms far end.

"Looks like Bruce just got here." She thought, noticing her good friend, and boss, talking with a woman in a slinky blank evening gown with a cloud of dark brown hair. "That'd be Selena. I guess the reunion of the Dynamic Duo will have to wait." At that moment, the musicians had finished their rapid setup and begun to play an up-tempo jazz number. Slowly, a few couples began to filter onto the floor.

A strange look had crossed the blue eyes of her sweet Richie. Concerned, she gently put her hand in his and looked at what had caught his attention. Bruce had sat at a table with some other guests, who talked amongst themselves. Bruce had spotted him and, if Caroline knew the world's greatest detective, he had been quick to identify her date as his previous partner.

"You don't have to force yourself to talk with him, you know." She said quietly so just he could hear.

"I almost feel obligated to. It's been such a long time…But…I think you're right, Caroline. Too many people." He gave her hand a squeeze and smiled. "Besides, this night's too special to ruin it now!" A moment later, the musicians finished the up-tempo song and moved on to a lovely waltz.

"Would you care to dance?" He asked sweetly.

Caroline grinned and pulled him towards the dance floor. "I thought you'd never ask."

"You know, you're actually a really good dancer." She said with a giggle as they twirled and stepped in time to the lovely music.

"And Bruce thought those ballroom dancing lessons were foolish!" He said, laughing.

Caroline looked up at him with a smile and, to her surprise, her eyes began to fill with tears.

"What? Did I say something…?" Richie asked, suddenly worried.

"No, no! I'm just…so happy. It's like you went away for a week and came back again." Happily, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest as the music filled the darkening ballroom.

"So, can you tell me where you've been all this time? Or what you did?" She pressed gently. "You've certainly changed since I last saw you. Not to mention the fact that you've grown about 5 inches since then." She said, looking up at him with a tiny smile.

"I'm not so sure I should tell you, sweetheart." He said with a guilty half-smile.

"You can tell me anything. You know that."

"If you're really sure you want to know…" Sighing, he looked away from her. "I've…uh…I've been in Blüdhaven."

Caroline lifted her head from his chest and pulled away from him, mouth slightly agape. She just stared at him in shock before her senses came back to her and she remembered to speak.

"You...you've been this close…the entire time. For all these years. I could have just…" Caroline shook her head quickly and released him. "I don't believe it…" She muttered, more to herself. "Excuse me. I have to go." She said quietly.

"Caroline, wait, please." He said, reaching for her hand. But, Caroline, heartbroken and disappointed, hurried away before he could stop her.

Caroline dashed into the nearest restroom and pulled her blue gown over her head to reveal her black dress beneath. Slipping on her mask, she snuck out of the gala via an open window in the ceiling. She flew up to the roof of Wayne Manor, the sparkling skyline of Gotham as dazzling as always. Hiding near the edge of a chimney, she hugged her knees and looked out at the city, a few tears escaping her dark eyes as a gentle breeze tossed her curls about.

She couldn't believe her own stupidity. All these years of being miserable with worry. All these years of wondering, waiting, hoping, wishing, begging, and_ praying_ that he would come back. And now, he had. But, he had been only a handful of miles away the entire time.

"It was all for nothing. I can't believe it was all for nothing. He was so close all this time…" With a furious groan, she grasped the delicate gold R pendant she had worn all this time with so much devotion. Giving it one last angry look, she threw it out over the mansion and into the night sky, where it glinted briefly in the light before vanishing. With a sob, she buried her face in her arms as the music and laughter of the gala spilled out into the night.

She didn't know how long it had been when she heard a faint scraping noise that made her lift her tearstained face from her knees. Thinking nothing of it, she stood up, sniffed, and began to slowly walk along the rooftop, deep in thought. She stopped at another chimney and sat down against it. Looking to either side and seeing no one there with her enacted a feeling of deep rooted loneliness that she hadn't felt since he had left. Sighing, she closed her eyes to reminisce on the pleasant past memories that seemed so long ago. She could see everything, almost as if she was living the memories again. She could see the day they had first met and his almost violent reaction to the "intruder" in the Bat Cave, their first trip to the pizza parlor together, days at the movies and at the boardwalk with the team…

Before she remember further and drag herself deeper into her heartache, there was a sudden snap right near her ear, as if a magician had snapped their fingers to suddenly wake her from hypnosis. She glanced around quickly to locate the sound when suddenly her Nightwing was there at her side, the sky blue eagle across his chest nearly luminescent in the moonlight.

"Hi." He said quietly, sitting down next to her. "You've been up here quite a while."

"What do you care?" She mumbled, staring at her hands in her lap. She didn't feel like talking; not now.

"Hey… Don't talk like that…" He said, taking her hand. "I wish…I wish it was easier for me to tell you why I left. But, it's hard to explain."

"But, why? Why would you come back?! Why not just leave me? And spare me the hurt…"

"Obsi, look at me. Please."

She reluctantly turned to face him.

"It was never my intention to hurt you. Don't you know by now that I never could live it down if I did?"

"I just…wanted to see you. I thought about you so much…" She said, her eyes twinkling with tears. "And to think that you were so close this entire time…"

"Give me a chance to make it up to you!" He interrupted suddenly, taking her hands in his. "I'll… make up for all that lost time! I swear to you, I will. If you'll just give me this chance to make you happy. I can… at least I can try to make you happy again." He said, his voice somewhat choked with a surprising amount of emotion.

Obsi sniffed and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. The earnest quality in his voice reminded her so much of the fiery spirited leader of the Titans she had fallen in love with. He really meant this. He truly wanted to make her happy again. To her own surprise, she started to smile. He smiled back much bigger.

"Is that a yes?" He said, failing to hide the excitement from his voice.

Obsi couldn't help but laugh. "Of course it is." She said, now beaming.

He hugged her tightly, making her flush. "Thank you! Thank you, Obsi. I promise you, things will be different from now on!"

"I know they will."

The rest of the night passed quickly. They spent nearly the whole night just talking with each other on the roof of Wayne Manor. They talked about everything and anything, just like they used to years before. They talked about what they'd done in the past five years; who they'd seen, where they'd gone, the villains they'd fought, the victories and the defeats. She talked about her last few weeks as a Titan, and her job at Wayne Enterprises. Richie even asked about Bruce, who he hadn't seen since their angry split before he left.

Shortly before sunrise, he dropped her off back at her apartment. "Can I see you tomorrow?" She asked, their hands linked. His bright smile told her she didn't even need to wait for an answer.

"How does 7:30 sound?"

"I'll be waiting." She said sweetly.

He gently kissed her cheek and she smiled shyly.

"See you then."

AN: Next chapter will be up soon! :) I've got plenty more to share with you all. Ciao~


	3. Chapter 3

~ Hey, hey all. :) Here's chapter 3. Enjoy!

Surprisingly, she slept very well that night. She didn't even mind waking up early for work and being tired that morning from her night out. Taking her red motorcycle to the Wayne Enterprises building, she headed to her office with a bounce in her step, humming to herself.

"Good morning, Ms. Blusteeyl, you have an executive meeting at 1:30…" Someone started to say as she strolled across the floor to her office. But, Caroline wasn't paying attention. She waltzed right past him and headed straight to her office, shut the door, and proceeded to work harder and more rapidly than she had in a long time. She repeatedly glanced at the clock, waiting, wishing, _urging_ 5:00 to come sooner. The sooner 5:00 came, the sooner she could go home. The sooner she could go home, the sooner she could get ready for that night. And the sooner she could get ready, the sooner he would be there to pick her up!

Wiggling comfortably in her seat, she began to fire out supply order forms, when there was a knock on her office door.

"Ms. Blusteeyl?" One of her lanky, younger employees stood at the door with a slim, African American woman at his side. "Ms. Blusteeyl, your new assistant is here."

"Thank you, Gabriel." She said to the young man, who nodded and hurried from the room as the woman took a few steps into the room. She was about Caroline's age, maybe a year or two older, with short, wildly curly, voluminous black hair and analytical black eyes. On one side of her face and running down her neck was distinctive malformation of skin and distorted flesh. Although she had tried to cover it with makeup, it provided a serious hindrance to her looks that would have been quite pretty had she not had such a deformity. She wore a distinctive bright blue marble on a chain around her neck. Caroline stood and shook her new assistant's hand. "Nice to meet you, Miss…?"

"Eve Heartland, Ms. Blusteeyl."

"Well, Ms. Eve, there should be a clipboard in your office with most everything you need to know!" Caroline said, looking away from her new assistant to toy with her gold R pendant. Her new assistant took in the dreamy look in Caroline's eyes as she swung the pendant.

"Lovely pendant, Ms. Blusteeyl." She said quietly, taking in the photo on Caroline's desk from a few years back of Caroline and Richard at a local theme park.

"Hm? Oh, thank you." Caroline said, looking up at Eve quickly before looking back down again. "You may go now, Eve." Sneaking one last glance around the love-struck Caroline, she nodded and left.

"Strange girl…" Caroline thought, watching after her as she left then shrugging as she settled back into her chair and continued with her work.

Finally, after one of the slowest work days she had ever experienced, Caroline wrapped up work for the day at 5 and quickly gathered her things to head home.

After driving her motorcycle through the streets of Gotham like an Italian scooter patrolling the streets of Rome, she arrived home at about 5:15. Hurrying up the stairs, she went into her bedroom and flung open the doors to her closet. She fingered through her clothing with a skeptical eye, unsure whether to dress up or down. Eventually, after more than half an hour, she'd narrowed her choices down to two outfits; a bright red cotton dress and heels, and a pair of her favorite jeans with a blue and white polo.

Groaning in frustration, she decided that it would be best to overdress than underdress, so she changed from her black and navy work suit into the pretty red dress. By the time 7:30 finally rolled around, Caroline sat on the edge of couch, wiggling her foot impatiently, when there was a quick knock on the door. Suddenly beaming, she flung open the door. However, it wasn't her Richie at the door but her new assistant, Eve. Caroline held back a disappointed sigh. Eve took in Caroline's outfit, the grin on her face, and her R pendant before she finally spoke.

"Good evening, Ms. Blusteeyl."

"Oh, hello, Eve. How did you find this address?"

"I didn't. Actually, I live a few apartments down and thought I would let you know." She said. Caroline could almost see the cogs turning in the woman's head. "Are you going out, Miss?"

"I will be, yes. And I'm expecting someone quite shortly, so if you don't mind…" Before she could finish, Caroline heard the elevator ding and the door slide open. Glancing down the hall, her bright smile lit her face again when she saw her Richie leave the elevator, twiddling with the buttons on the sleeve of his navy button-up.

"Richard!" She called, waving to him. He beamed at her and she ran to meet him with a big hug. "I missed you." She said, pulling back to look at him.

"I missed you too, gorgeous! How was your day?"

"Not bad; it was pretty slow. But it's much better now." She said with giggle.

"Flattery will get you…pretty much everywhere." They both shared a laugh as Eve continued to watch them for a moment from the hallway. She grimaced slightly at the happy couple before hurrying away.

"So, what are our plans for tonight, Boy Wonder?" She said with a smile, taking his hand and swinging it cheerfully as they stepped on the elevator.

"You'll see! It's a surprise." He said with a wink that made her giggle.

Parked neatly outside of Caroline's apartment was a familiar motorcycle, which had gone from its bright red paint and yellow R insignia to a pitch black.

"You kept it!" She said with excitement, turning over her shoulder to look at him.

"Sure did! Here, catch!" He tossed her a black helmet and visor. He climbed into the front and started the bike, which roared to life with such a familiar sound that Caroline had to shake off her emotions. Wrapping her arms tightly around him, they took off through the shadowy Gotham streets.

Looking around through the visor, she began to slowly piece together the neighborhood around them. This was the smaller, sleepier end of Gotham, with less skyscrapers and flash than the downtown area. Tall, old fashioned apartment complexes lined the streets, their fronts glowing from the vintage streetlights that were scattered on the streets between the trees. It looked familiar to her somehow, although she had trouble remembering when she'd been there before.

Richie pulled the bike up to the curb in front of a small building, which was picturesquely placed so that the glittering backdrop of downtown Gotham was sprawled behind it. The green awning read "Rose Garden Bistro". She was quickly beaming from ear to ear and threw off the helmet.

"You remembered where it was! After all this time, you remembered." She said, looking from him to the building and back again, the fond memories of their first date those five years previous making her cheeks flush with pleasure. "Do you remember how nervous you were?" She said, taking his arm and hugging it as he guiltily nodded.

"It took me almost that entire week to muster up the courage to ask you. You were pretty nervous too, if I remember right."

"I was! Remember how I spilled my soda all over the table?" She said and they both laughed as he opened the door into the restaurant. The pretty décor inside the restaurant had changed little, even after those five years since they'd been there. Caroline felt almost as if she and Richie had stepped back in time.

"Hi. We have a reservation, name of Grayson." He said to the waitress at the entrance.

"Let's see…here we are! If you'll follow me…" She said, picking up some menus and heading towards a table.

"I believe we had a special reservation, hm?" He said. Caroline giggled softly; she could've sworn she saw him slip her some cash.

"Oh, of course. This way Mr. Grayson, ma'am."

The waitress led them outside and into the garden patio at the back of the restaurant, which was gradually clearing of the few couples that had been there. She led them to one of most beautiful tables, lit with a small tea-light candle; the very table they'd sat at that first night they'd been there.

"How's this?" The waitress asked.

"Perfect." She and Richie answered in unison, taking their seats at opposite ends of the table. Neither of them was particularly hungry, nor did they want anything. They just wanted to see each other.

"So, what have you done these past five years? I want to be all caught up." He asked her with a smile, resting his chin on the top of his hand.

"Well, the Titans didn't last very long after you left. We stayed together for…maybe a few more months. But…I missed you. _We_ missed you. And we needed a leader. But, no one felt like they could take your place. It just wouldn't be the same. So…we all just…left. Beast Boy left on some kind of journey across the US. We email sometimes. Raven went on a sort of spiritual rediscovering after the whole issue with Trigon. We still write to each other. I haven't seen her in about a year."

"Are they alright?"

"I think they're doing just fine. Star and Victor seem happy."

"They do."

There was a slight pause. Caroline looked briefly at her hands. There was one more thing she needed to talk to him about. She wasn't exactly sure how to proceed but decided it would be for the best to just take the plunge. She looked back up at him, trying to maintain her poise.

"Can I ask you something? Something kind of…sensitive?"

"Ask away, doll." He replied, leaning on an elbow with a smile.

"Were you alone all that time you were gone?" Caroline shifted in her seat apprehensively. "That came out wrong…" She thought. Shaking her head slightly, she decided it best to reword the question to contain more of what she really meant. Hopefully it would make more sense this time. " I mean…uh…you still… thought about me…right? You didn't…forget me?" Caroline mentally cringed; that came out wrong too. But, she couldn't change things now. She only hoped he understood what she meant.

Richard looked at her, taking in her words. She wished she could see exactly what connections he was making to what she had said. He glanced away from her briefly and sighed, as if deciding what best to say. When he looked back at her, she could see the apprehension behind his gentle blue eyes.

"I could never forget you, Obsi. You know that. But, there was a time when I, uh, I thought there was…I thought I…"

"There was someone else." She suddenly interrupted, looking him straight in the eye. Every verbal clue, every physical quirk; they all lead to this conclusion, albeit as painful as it was. "I've always been able to tell when there's something you don't want to tell me. And I can tell that there was another girl. I can see it in your eyes." She reached across the table and put her hand on his and did her best to smile reassuringly. "It's alright, Richie. You don't have to worry. It doesn't bother me." It was the first time she had ever lied to him, and it made her stomach twist.

"It doesn't? Really?" Richard sounded just as surprised as her thoughts, as if he expected an outward blowup instead of an inward one.

"Really. Can you just tell me who it was? Just a name. I won't be upset. I promise."

"Well, uh…her name was…Barbara. Barbara Gordon."

Caroline's hand flew back from his like she'd touched a hot branding iron. Whoever she had expected this girl to be, BatGirl wasn't it. They had never been particularly close friends, although it wasn't from lack of trying. They had talked enough, and Caroline had thought of her as a casual acquaintance, even a friend, although not a close one. Still, she had thought they knew each other well enough to know that Barbara wouldn't drive this knife into her back with no thoughts to the contrary.

"Maybe she didn't know." A little voice at the back of her mind urged. "Or …maybe he just didn't tell her." Caroline shook her head; a little line appeared where her brows furrowed in a gentle frown that detailed her sadness and frustration, however hard it was to notice.

"I'm so sorry, Obsi. It's just…she was there. I wish it was easier to explain…but it's over now. I thought I loved her, I really thought I did. But, you know, that time I kissed her, I saw you in the back of my mind. And, I realized that I had to stop searching for a replacement. It wasn't her I was in love with. She could never replace you. Barb is a great person and one of my good friends. But she's not you. And she'll never be you." He sighed and brought a hand to his forehead when he noticed the hurt spread across her features. "Bruce always said I needed to learn when to keep my mouth shut. God, I just keep making tonight worse." He muttered under his breath.

"Then, let's not talk about it." She said quickly, composing herself and forcing the pain from her heart, at least for now. "It's water under the bridge. It's all over now. And we can't change the past. But we _can_ change the future, Richie, by taking action in the present. We all have regrets; I know I have plenty, and I'm sure you do. Hell, I bet even the Joker has regrets. We all wonder how things would have worked out had one little thing been different, had one word not been said. But, think about it. We're here now. It's a beautiful night in Gotham. We're at our favorite restaurant, and we're together. Bruce's happy, Starfire's happy, Barb's happy. Don't you think you deserve to be happy too?"

Smiling sweetly, he reached across the table to take her hand. "_You_ make me happy."

Caroline giggled quietly. "Flattery will get you…pretty much everywhere."

With a grin, he looked around to make sure no one was looking and then leaned forward. "I've got an idea." He motioned towards the door with a thumb. "Let's get out of here!"

"What?! And go where?" She asked as he led her from the restaraunt, dropping some cash on the table before they left.

"Anywhere! Let's patrol the city!"

"You're serious?! You're really serious?!"

"Yeah! Let's do it! It'll be a blast!"

Caroline raised a skeptical eyebrow, and reached into her purse. "Oh hell." She pulled out something in one hand; her black mask, which she slipped on. "Let's go!"


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Hey friends! Here's chapter 4 and it's a doozy. I know this story is fluffy right now, but things are about to get much more interesting! Enjoy, rate, and review if you'd like. :)

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

A few moments later, Obsidian and Nightwing were racing across the rooftops of downtown Gotham. They tumbled, flipped, and sprinted over the rooftops like gymnasts through a simple obstacle course. Obsi couldn't hold back a joyful yell as she rung herself around a pole. She felt as if it was years ago and she was a 16 year old girl again, just beginning to explore her powers. Overhead, she could even hear her Maestro cawing with delight. Her birdy might have been rather old, but he was still enjoying this night out nearly as much as they were.

"Hey! Over here!" Nightwing called when they had made it to the side of a rather tall building lined with strange horizontal metal bars.

"What's up?" She said, panting with exertion as she floated down from the rooftop.

"I want to try something. Can you fly up there?" He pointed to the top of another nearby building.

"Ok!" She said and zipped to the roof. She stood near the edge and looked down at him skeptically. "What next?" She called.

"When I say go, I need you to fall forward!" He answered from below.

"Huh? Are you sure about this?!"

"Sure I'm sure! Now get ready!" In a blink, he had flipped up to one of horizontal bars, flipping over the bars over and over, faster and faster, with the casual ease of a professional. "Go!" He shouted suddenly.

Shutting her eyes, she fell forward off the building. For the briefest of seconds, the wind whirred in her ears and she could feel her heart drop like a weight in a pool. At the back of her mind, she wondered if this was the final feeling Richard's parents had felt the night they died. Suddenly, she felt strong hands grab hers and flip her into the air. She landed neatly on the rooftop with a triple somersault. He was there with her just seconds later. Both of them looked at each other and they suddenly began to laugh, their cheeks flushed with adrenaline.

"I can't believe that just happened!" She said excitably.

"Me neither! Whew, I feel like a kid again!"

"I guess they are just some things that you never grow out of."

"People too." He said in a slightly quieter voice, giving her a gentle smile.

"Yes, people too." She echoed, returning the smile with one of her own.

"You know, there is one other thing that I've wanted to try..."

"What would that be?"

"I think…that it's about time you and I picked up where we left off five years ago..." He said with a confident smirk.

"And...Where was that again?" She said with a little giggle.

"Right about...here." His hands circled her waist and drew her close. Her arms wrapped around him in reply. "And no interruptions this time."

"No interruptions…I've waited a long time for this..."

"So have I." The distance between them had closed to be little more than a few inches. Obsi kept her eyes lowered, suddenly very shy. "You remember how you said, that first night... you wanted me to prove to you that I was who I said I was." He said quietly, echoing the words she had said the night of their reunion. Obsidian's heart raced like it never had before; she knew what would happen next. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear "Well, now I think you'll find that I go beyond what you expected..." And then he kissed her, all the longing of those past five years finally put to motion. Finally, after all these years of waiting, he was truly hers, and she vowed to never let him go again.

Caroline woke up that next morning with a smile, humming softly to herself. Nightwing and herself had parted reluctantly shortly before dawn. They kissed again at her apartment door. Caroline hadn't wanted him to leave, had wanted to grab him and drag him inside, but she knew it was for the best. Now, she was positively radiant with happiness; her skin and eyes glowed, her cheeks rosy. She went to work rather unwillingly; she would rather be spending the day with him, she thought, mentally berating herself for acting like a sappy, love-struck teenager, but part of her couldn't care less! Snickering to herself, she arrived at work and settled comfortably into her office and got down to business, when her phone buzzed.

"How am I supposed to focus on directing traffic when I can't stop thinking about you? :)" read a message from an unknown number.

"Is this who I think it is?"

"What do you think? :)"

Caroline giggled and was about to type a reply when one of her work friends, a cute blonde named Lila, knocked on her door.

"Hey, boss lady. We're all going out to lunch at Bruno's at 12:30. Wanna meet us there?" Her friend asked with a smile.

Caroline looked up from her phone, which she had hidden under her desk like a naughty student.

"Oh, yeah. I'd like that! Thanks, Lila."

"No problem! See you later."

When Richie stopped messaging her around noon, she thought nothing of it, although she missed being unable to talk to him almost instantly. By about 12:15, she grabbed her purse and keys and drove through town towards Bruno's Restaurant. Unfortunately, she had miscalculated the amount of time it would take to get to the restaurant and she had hit the very beginning of the lunchtime traffic.

Her motorcycle slowly moved through the streets, the cars ahead of her slowly piddling along, when she heard a loud laugh from nearby and a familiar voice reply to it. Pinpointing the sound, she glanced briefly to the sidewalk that ran in front of a small strip mall. The source of the laugh was a pretty African American woman in a pale blue dress who wore a bright reddish pink marble on a chain around her neck. It glowed and caught the light, giving it an ethereal appearance against the pale blue cloth of the dress. She walked, arm in arm, with a handsome man with dark hair, dressed in a police uniform. As they approached, Caroline recognized her assistant, Eve. What she noticed next, however, nearly caused her to wreck. The man on her arm had beautiful blue eyes…pitch black hair…and a dazzlingly white smile that could only belong to one person.

"No…no, no…NO!" She repeated, over and over, her breath suddenly ragged and labored. With a violent swerve, she ducked out of traffic, in a flurry of car horns, and pulled her bike up to the curb. Her hand went to her heart, which beat erratically, her brown eyes dark and twinkling with tears. Soon, the couple had begun to stroll down the sidewalk towards where Caroline sat on her bike, as she desperately tried to keep it together, to think of some explanation for what she saw. With a sudden burst of anger, she had flung herself up from her bike and planted herself firmly in front of the scum in one quick motion. Eve looked vaguely surprised to see her.

"I don't _believe_ you." She hissed at him through clenched teeth.

"Eve, who's this?" He said dumbly to Eve, who looked back and forth between the two of them with her cold eyes.

"Richard, darling, this is Ms. Caroline Blusteeyl, my supervisor at the company. I've mentioned her to you before, remember?" She said to him, the picture of innocence.

"Oh, that's right. Ms. Blusteeyl, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Dick Grayson." He said, his eyes completely void of all emotions, except strangers friendliness, as he held out a hand.

"I know exactly who you are, you heartless bastard." She spat.

She couldn't believe this was happening; now, after all that had happened. It was like they had never met; like the events of the previous night hadn't occurred. Like she hadn't met him at the BatCave when he was little more than a boy. Like they'd never been partners, companions, best friends. Most painful of all, it was like they had never fallen in love. Caroline shook her head rapidly in anger; bitter disappointment shaded her face like an invisible hood. Right when she'd thought he had finally returned to her, after so much time apart, he was gone again. She could have sworn she saw Eve smirk slightly to herself at the tears that threatened to escape.

"You look upset, Ms. Blusteeyl." She said with sickly feigned sweetness.

"And you shut up!" She snapped at Eve, who recoiled slightly at the ringing sour tone that had crept into Caroline's voice. "And as for you!" She wheeled on the man she thought had loved her. Before he could move, she gave him a ringing slap across the face that nearly sent him spinning.

"What was that for?!" He cried, hand flying to the angry red mark across his face.

"Don't play dumb with me! You know exactly what it was for." She took several quick steps until she was right in his face, a face that had once been so dear to her, a face so handsome, with crystal blue eyes… but that now filled her heart with boiling rage like she had never known before. "If you _ever _come near me again, if you ever even _think_ about me again, I can and _will_ make sure you regret it." She lowered her voice to a forbidding whisper and grabbed his shirt front in her fist. "You see, I've got _connections_, Boy Wonder. You'd be surprised who I know; who would gladly side with me to destroy you. So, unless you want to wake up tomorrow in a bodybag, you had better _watch your step_. " She flashed him a glimpse of the sharpened black feathers that had appeared at her fingertips, her eyes glinting with hints of icy blue crystals. She slammed her heeled boot onto his foot, shot Eve a venomous look, and hopped back on her bike, throwing on her helmet and leaving the two behind her in a cloud of dust and smoke. Caroline sped away so quickly that she didn't hear an anguished voice calling her name.

Caroline returned to her work in a daze, her eyes dull, and her face gray. She suddenly felt much older than her 21 years. And she was tired; so very…very tired. Claiming she was ill, she left work early, shooting her friends an apologetic text for bailing on lunch. She arrived home and collapsed onto her bed, asleep within moments. She slept soundly, like she had never slept before. She woke in the early evening to silence the complaints of her empty stomach. It could have been rat poison and liquid mercury for all she knew; whatever it was, it had no flavor. Beautiful Gotham City, so vivid with life and color, now felt as cold and unfeeling as a grayscale backdrop. Caroline lay back down on her side and gazed out at the city. Sleep beckoned to her again and, willingly, she shut her eyes…

A clatter of pebbles against her window, and Caroline was suddenly wide awake. She briefly glanced around to identify the sound and then went quickly to investigate. She flung open the window by the side of her bed, letting in the cool night air and the noises of the cosmopolitan streets. She leaned slightly out the window to get a look around. Perhaps the noise had been some late night window cleaner or a foolish kid out past curfew. It could even have just been a bird going haywire. Suddenly, a sharp whistle above her made her jump. She glanced up quickly and gasped.

There he was; from his mask to his black and sky-blue jumpsuit to the adoring smile. He hung upside down from a ledge just above her window and gazed at her. Caroline laughed shakily. He said nothing; he just beamed at her as if she was the only girl in his world, as if nothing had changed. Suddenly, before she could even think of speaking, she was kissing him and dragging him from the ledge and into the apartment, each of them muttering apologies and "I love you" between hungry kisses, their hands working rapidly to remove the others clothing as quickly as possible…

Caroline awoke with a start. Her heart thudded rapidly and her honey colored curls stuck to the back of her neck, which was damp with sweat. Her eyes darted around her room. Her bedroom was empty; no drowsy, dark haired young man smiled sweetly at her from the opposite side of her bed. Her window was closed and locked like she had left it before she fell asleep; no gentle morning breeze flowed in to rouse the couple from their slumber. She still wore the black tank and shorts that she had worn to bed; it wasn't on the floor along with a familiar black jumpsuit and mask. It had all been a dream; a fantastic, painful dream. A dream that was too perfect, too _real_ to be true. Caroline hugged her knees to her chest, anguished sobs suddenly shaking her slim frame. Richard was gone, and, this time, he was _not_ coming back.


End file.
